Organizers of the 2010 We Care Auction, held Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4, in the studios of I105.3 FM, commented that it was “...the generosity of all the people in the community who donated...” that helped the event raise over $54,000 in a brief period of time.All of the We Care money will be used to buy new coats and shoes for needy children enrolled in Scott County schools. “We need to thank those who donated, people who placed bids, those who sent food and volunteered their time for this success,” stated Mary Miller, an I105.3 FM staff member and a longtime We Care volunteer. We Care’s current total is $54,252.98. That is well below the 2009 level of $70,351.50, but, as Miller pointed out, the local economy is still suffering and unemployment is high. “Everyone pulled together to make We Care happen, and everyone who came to pick up what they had bought were very grateful that We Care has continued down through the years. One lady told us, ‘No where else do people work so hard to take care of schoolchildren.’ I think that sums up what we do very well,” advised Miller. Cole Rice, an Indiana University freshman who timed his visit home for the weekend to coincide with We Care, read off the final figure raised through the furious bidding that occurred for items entered in the auction. Rice has been a We Care volunteer for several years as has his mother, Tammy. All We Care volunteers are special people, noted Miller. “We heard the comment, ‘It makes you feel good to help someone who might have otherwise been cold this winter,’ and we certainly agree with that,” she said. Now that the large auction is completed, a wrap-up event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Friday night, December 10, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Scott County Post 6582, on U.S. Highway 31 between Austin and Scottsburg. Everyone is welcome to attend this event and see if they can grab some bargains from items not claimed or which didn’t get into the regular auction. All will be sold to the highest bidders. Auctioneer Tommy Cull will conduct the follow-up event, encouraging people present to bid often and loudly. The We Care food booth will be open at the VFY that evening. A variety of hot soups, chili, hot dogs, desserts, coffee, hot chocolate and soft drinks will be available for purchase. All proceeds from We Care will be distributed to Scott County school systems during the week of December 15. People can listen to the live event on I105.3 FM to learn We Care’s final total.